Pantry receives huge support
A COMMUNITY organisation has been overwhelmed with donations after previously struggling to be able to support the needs of the less fortunate.
The St Luke’s Parish Pantry found itself in desperate times just last month, with the number of people coming in for help outweighing donations being given.
But Parish Pantry coordinator Jennifer Murray said they had received huge support from the community after call-out for help in The Chronicle.
“We have been overwhelmed. I will open the cupboards and you can just see the difference compared to what it was,” Ms Murray said.
“We were fairly desperate. We encourage people to keep donating because we just don’t know how long it will continue.”
About 30 to 40 people receive a bag of supplies each week that has enough in it to last a fortnight.
“We do get some people who are just so grateful. Some people really fall on hard times,” she said.
“It could happen to you or I as well.”
The Parish Pantry’s biggest single donation arrived yesterday from the City Golf Club which donated $500 worth of non-perishable items from food to toilet paper.
Vice-president of house Danny Carroll said after seeing the article in The Chronicle, they decided to see what they could do to help.
“It is part of the community benefit fund. All the money we supply from that comes from our Friday and Sunday night raffles,” Mr Carroll said.
“From the generosity of the people that support us.
“We get a lot of letters asking us for donations. But we see different things like this and determine that it is a worthy cause.”
Mr Carroll said throughout the year, about $52,000 from the fund was donated to different not-for-profit organisation and charities in the region.
Donations can be left at the Parish Ministry Centre from 9am-1pm week days. Those in need can attend the centre on Wednesdays from 9.30am-11.30am for a parcel. Customers may visit every fortnight and will need to provide a pension card.